Talk:How Bizarre/@comment-25320855-20140617194057
I wanted to write my essay expressing my thoughts on Rich/Hardlet. Before I started watching Skins UK, I already knew that I was instantly going to fall in love with Rich Hardbeck, as well as Hardelt. Jo has written so many beautiful essays explaining just how wonderful Rich is and how perfect her ultimate OTP is, that I could not wait until I finally got to the fifth season of the series. I can safely say that Rich Hardbeck is already ranked in the top ten of my favorite fictional characters of all-time, and I can already rank Hardlet at my second favorite OTP. First, I wanted to discuss why exactly I love Rich. I see a lot of similarities in his personality that I share with him, and I can relate to him. When he is first introduced, he's closed off from the world and he tries to keep from getting to close to people. He walks around wearing headphones, using his music to block out what's going on around him. He's snarky and has a very sarcastic streak. All of these characteristics, I can relate to and I like to think that he's my male counterpart in some ways. However, Grace helps him open up and become open to the idea of love. Grace didn't change him, falling in love did. He became more affectionate with her in public and he wasn't afraid to show her just how much he loves her. Rich and Grace shared something so special, and their relationship is truly beautiful. Hardlet is one of my few OTPs that have never been tainted or ruined in any way. They had flawless development and I loved that they started out being indifferent towards each other, and they gradually became more aware of their true feelings. They have so many beautiful scenes together, but I can safely say that my all-time favorite Hardlet scene is when Rich proposes to her at the end of the fifth season. He shows up at her home and summons her to the window, where he recites the balcony scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I won't deny, this scene brought me to tears. It was so amazing to see just how much Rich loves her with all of his heart. There is no doubt in my mind that Rich Hardbeck and Grace Violet Blood were truly soul mates, even in the short time they had together. They had such a strong bond, that even when Rich isn't with her, he knows when she's in danger. When Grace is in a car accident, Rich knows right away that something is wrong. He loves her and misses her so much, that he starts seeing her when she's in a coma. He couldn't stand not being with her and he missed her so much, that he had to create his own Grace to fill that void. He has conversations on the phone with her and they even have sex, but Rich tragically discovers that she had passed away. Rich and Grace shared one of the greatest love stories that I have ever scene. What they had was so special and so pure. It's one of the few relationships that I have seen that haven't been subjected to any kind of tainting. They were truly soul mates and there is no doubt in my mind that they loved each other so much.